Getty Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks greets John Ross #11 of the Cincinnati Bengals after the game at CenturyLink Field.
When it rains it pours. The New York Giants have been mostly unheard from throughout much of the legal tampering period. That changed on Tuesday afternoon when in a matter of minutes the team dropped two bombs on us. First, the team reportedly inked Leonard Williams to a new long-term deal. Shortly after, word broke that the team has added a new weapon to their offensive arsenal.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that the Giants have agreed to terms with wide receiver John Ross on a one-year, $2.5 million deal, $1 million of which is guaranteed.
The #Giants have agreed to terms with WR John Ross on a one-year, $2.5 million deal that includes $1 million guaranteed, source says. The ninth overall pick in 2017 with the 4.22 40 time gets a chance to reset his career in East Rutherford.
While Ross may not carry the same star power as that of Williams, he boasts the draft status and elite speed that will pique the interest of any Giants fan. With that said, he’s no sure thing — leading to a rash of takeaways from the NFL Twittersphere.
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Twitter Reacts to John Ross Signing With Giants
SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano gave his stamp of approval on the low-risk, high-reward signing.
I like the shot the Giants are taking on WR John Ross. Low risk (1 year, $1M guaranteed). Lots of possible upside if the former ninth-overall pick (2017) can stay healthy. That’s a big “if” but the risk-reward level is high.
Talkin’ Giants Podcast host Bobby Skinner also applauded the value move for the Giants, pointing to new Patriots wide receiver Nelson Agholor as an ideal example of what could be if the Ross signing hits.
John Ross is a good value signing taking a chance on speed with only $1 million guaranteed. I like it and maybe you get a jump like the Raiders got from Nelson Agholor in 2020.
With that said, after Skinner turned on the film, he couldn’t help but grow weary of Ross’ knack for letting the football hit the ground. The former Cincinnati Bengal has dropped 16 passes over his last 24 games.
I’m going through John Ross film damn they’re gonna have to fix these drops. Hire whoever on the Raiders fixed Nelson Agholor.
GiantsWire decided to chime in on Skinner’s takeaway, seemingly tossing a bit of shade Evan Engram’s way during the process — understandably so.
Despite his lapses at times as a pass-catcher, Pro Football Focus made it a point to remind Giants fans of the type of top-end speed they’ve just inserted into their offense. Ross’ official 4.22 40-yard dash time at the 2017 NFL Combine remains the fastest time ever recorded at the event.
John Ross just signed with the New York Giants
Never forget the 4.22
One league source familiar with Ross believes the former top-10 pick can turn things around and that a change of scenery could potentially do wonders. Ross “can really run and is capable of big plays,” the source told New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard, he “just needs some confidence.”
What are the Giants Getting in Ross?
In many ways, the Ross signing is very similar to that of the Corey Coleman signing a few years back. A low-risk deal for a former first-round draft pick whose game is built on speed and is banking on a fresh start to help kickstart his career.
While injuries ultimately ended that dream for Coleman, the 25-year-old Ross has a chance to carve out a major role for the wide receiver-needy Giants.
As we touched on prior, the biggest draw to Ross is his game-breaking speed. And while he’s been painted as a bust thus far in his young career, he did show glimpses of brilliance in 2019. In fact, before a shoulder injury ultimately cut his season short, Ross was on pace for the first 1,000-yard receiving campaign of his career. Appearing in just eight games that season, Ross compiled 506 yards on only 28 receptions — a monstrous 18.1 yards per reception average. Furthermore, during Ross’ rookie season, the wideout averaged a receiving touchdown every three catches — finishing 2017 with 21 receptions and seven touchdowns.
Simply put, Ross has a knack for making big plays, something the Giants could greatly benefit from. The Giants tied for a league-low 17 big play passes (25-plus yards) in 2020. As for quarterback Daniel Jones, his 11 touchdown passes ranked 29th in the NFL.